This invention relates to systems for granting access to entertainment events, and more particularly, to a system and associated method for controlling sales and granting access to entertainment events at various entertainment venues.
As the information age frees up even more consumer time, and creates a smaller world, more consumers are taking advantage of the numerous entertainment events available in society. These events and venues include, but are not limited to, theme parks, sporting events, music halls, museums, theaters, arenas, stadiums, and movie theaters. With many of these events, tickets can be reserved beforehand, and later picked up at the gate. Tickets can also be purchased beforehand, such as through a Ticket Master(trademark) or similar ticket service. Sometimes a central ticketing service can be called before arriving at an event, the ticket ordered, and then mailed from the ticketing service to the caller. However, in such systems, the tickets can be lost in the mail or misplaced. If the prepaid tickets are lost, then one typically must obtain a refund.
Lost tickets can also be used by those that find the ticket, making it even more difficult to obtain a refund when the ticket has been used by an unauthorized person. If a replacement ticket had been issued, and an unauthorized person shows up to the event with the ticket, then conceivably two people could be requesting the same seat. Also, with this type of prepaid ticket, it is difficult to maintain data on past, present and future attendance at the various entertainment venues and events serviced by the particular ticket service center.
Some ticketing systems use a credit card reader at the point of entry. Typically, the consumer calls a service center established by an entertainment venue, and gives their credit card number over the telephone. A reservation then can be made. At the time of entry to the gate, the consumer receives their ticket for entry and the credit card is charged the value of the ticket. Typically, a credit card receipt is given at the time of entry.
In many of these systems, the type of payment and ticket delivery method is dependent upon how each entertainment venue establishes an account and allows entry to the event. It would be advantageous if greater control could be exercised over the sale of tickets and access to various entertainment venues, while also limiting the number of times that a consumer would have to provide credit card information over the telephone or use the credit card at the venue, even for different events at the same venue. It may also be advantageous if a consumer""s attendance could be tracked in real time.
Some prior art systems such as a conventional ticket-based system, issue a paper ticket from an outlet, which then is exchanged for an appropriate card or other media at an entertainment venue, such as a theme park, sports venue or music hall. This two-step process is inefficient and the card typically is not used for multiple venues. It would also be advantageous if some means could be established for allowing more universal access to entertainment events, while maintaining control over access rights in a central computer system. Some prior art systems, such as used in airports and some theme parks, disclose control systems that include card readers at various access points, and a central station for issuing or programming access cards. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,269 to Dorrough, et al., discloses a card-based system for controlling access to recreational activities. It also controls access to hotel/motel rooms to provide prepaid credit units for the purchase of tickets to events and provide prepaid concessions. An access card is encoded for each customer and an access station is associated with each activity and reads an access card to signal a comptroller processor to open a customer account file. The access station sends a debt signal for the requested activity. The comptroller processor can either approve or disapprove the transaction.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,327 to Sehr, a smart debit card is issued to a patron, which can be used for a plurality of categories of prepaid theme park goods and services. A computer system is connected to the various events, stores and other activities located throughout the theme park. U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,806 to Mahoney, et al., discloses a waiting line management system where an access card is issued to a patron, which enables a patron to select access times for various attractions. The patron is able to confirm the existing selections, change any previous selections, and then pay for other services without using cash. In one particular aspect of the invention, the card holders have priority in waiting lines for attractions.
Other airline reservation systems provide for prepayment of airline tickets and central control over the reservation system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,995 to Dilks, et al., discloses a data processing system for automatic on-line checking of numbered reservations and/or the control of credit card purchases. Data is not referenced on the ticket or credit card itself. The system includes a central processor, a remotely addressable central data storage for reservation and customer account information, and remote terminal input devices, printers, and ticket and card readers. The system may also include an automatic boarding pass issuing device responsive to a central processor. In another similar type of reservation system, U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,321 to Sheldon discloses a xe2x80x9cticketlessxe2x80x9d airline reservation system, which includes a smart card or a card with a magnetic strip for the user.
Although these patents do establish some control over ticket purchase and customer access to various entertainment events or airlines, it would be advantageous if a system could provide purchase of rights for future access to a plurality of different venues that could be owned by different organizations and have real time customer tracking and centralized control of customer access. It would also be advantageous if such a system could maintain records of past attendance and present attendance, and use such information to aid in anticipating future (or expected) attendance at a particular venue and event.
In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system for granting access to one or more entertainment events, which controls the sales and access to entertainment events at various entertainment venues, such as at multiple locations, which may be owned by different organizations.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a computer entertainment access control system for purchasing rights for future access to entertainment events located at a venue and later provide real time tracking of customers or subscribers who have been granted or not been granted access.
These and other objects, features, and advantages in accordance with the present invention are provided by a system for granting authorized subscribers access to selected ones of a plurality of entertainment events at a plurality of entertainment venues. The system preferably comprises a central processing station and plurality of access point controllers. The central processing station preferably comprises registration means for permitting registering of subscribers that can be authorized to attend selected entertainment events, and event authorization means for generating and storing a record relating to authorization of a subscriber to attend a selected entertainment event.
Each of the plurality of access point controllers preferably comprises subscriber identifier reading means for reading a subscriber identifier presented by the subscriber attending the respective entertainment event, and authorization confirming means communicating over the communications network for confirming that the subscriber attending the respective entertainment event has been authorized, based upon the subscriber identifier. The access point controller also preferably includes access granting means, cooperating with the authorization confirming means, for granting access at the entertainment event to the authorized subscriber. This system permits subscribers to prearrange for attendance at a selected event and/or venue, and does not suffer from the drawbacks of conventional paper tickets.
The central processing station also preferably further comprises an operator console for permitting an operator to receive a communication from a subscriber, such as to register or purchase a right to attend a future event. The registration means may comprise account means for establishing a payment account for the subscriber. Of course, the event authorization means may therefore comprise account updating means for updating an account of the subscriber.
The event authorization means may preferably comprise a database for storing records relating to authorization of subscribers to attend selected entertainment events. The event authorization means may also include booking means for coordinating availability at the selected entertainment event. In addition, the event authorization means may include time scheduling means for authorizing attendance of an authorized subscriber at the entertainment even at a predetermined time.
Another significant aspect of the present invention is that the central processing station may further comprise expected attendance analyzing means. The expected attendance analyzing means may cooperate with the venue authorization means for analyzing expected attendance at a future entertainment event. Accordingly, the organization or individuals coordinating the event may know well in advance the expected attendance. In another embodiment, the expected attendance analyzing means may be at the entertainment venue.
Yet another aspect of the invention is that the central processing station may further comprise attendance storing means, cooperating with the plurality of readers, for generating and storing a record relating to actual attendance of the subscriber at the selected entertainment venue. Accordingly, the central processing station may also include actual attendance analyzing means, cooperating with the attendance storing means, for analyzing actual attendance at a past entertainment event.
Yet another important aspect of the invention is that the central processing station may further include universal token issuing means for issuing a universal token to the subscriber to serve as the subscriber identifier for the plurality of entertainment venues. The universal token may be a card carrying a magnetic stripe or optical bar code, for example. The universal card is relatively inexpensive, but facilitates access to a large number of possible entertainment events and venues.
The central processing station may further comprise a first transceiver, such as a modem, for communicating over the communications network. Accordingly, the authorization confirming means may also include a second transceiver for communicating over the communications network and with the first transceiver in real time. The real time tracking of actual attendance provided by the present invention may be especially beneficial to organizations or others who schedule and coordinate entertainment events. This data could be sold to others or used as historical information.
A method aspect of the invention grants authorized subscribers access to selected ones of a plurality of entertainment events at a plurality of entertainment venues such as a music hall venue, sports venue, theme park venue or other entertainment venue. The method comprises the steps of first registering subscribers at a central processing station for authorizing the subscribers to attend selected entertainment events. The method further comprises generating and storing a record relating to authorization of a subscriber to attend a selected entertainment event. A plurality of access point controllers are located at respective entertainment venues. A subscriber identifier presented by a subscriber attending a respective entertainment event is then read at an access point reader located at the entertainment venue. The method further comprises the step of confirming that the subscriber attending that respective entertainment event has been authorized to attend. Access is then granted to the subscriber if the subscriber has been authorized to attend the respective entertainment event.